Foot-operated boat propulsion system



March 1, 1955 GRESHAM 2,703,065

FOOT-OPERATED BOAT PROPULSION SYSTEM Filed March 27, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F /'g./. I A

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March 1, 1955 L. L. GRESHAM FOOT-OPERATED BOAT PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 27, 1952 4 2 6 6 8 11 8 4 M m, 8 I 0 m 8 l w E V a I 1 x m i 6 4 4 c 4-. 4 m A0. L w p w 2 .w .m. m, m 2 F F a L w 0 B// 8 L (\IL 4 4 5 4 6 u Fig. 3.

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United States FOOT-OPERATED BOAT PROPULSION SYSTEM l Lonnie L. Gresham, North Little Rock, Ark. Application March 27, 1952, Serial No. 278,813

3 Claims. (Cl. 115-25) This invention relates to a boat bike and particularly to a foot operated propulsion system for a boat.

In many boat operations, particularly such operations as hunting and fishing, it is desirable to have both hands free for the purpose at hand or some other method is available to propel the boat. It is frequently undesirable to use a motor boat as the noise or commotion produced by the motor boat would scare the game away so that there would be no efficient hunting or fishing or if the purpose was to observe wild fowl animals or other purposes in their native habitat the motor would be sure to disturb them. i

The present invention provides a pedal-propelled boat drive in which the operator controls a propeller by means of a crankshaft operated by the feet and-controls the steering of the boat by means of a steering lever which may be locked in position so that the boat will move in a 'pedetermined curve or any other desired motion.

This is accomplished by means of a boat drive having a frame adapted to support a seat on which the operator may sit while a crankshaft is mounted convenient to the feet of the operator and is connected to apropeller by means of a belt or other suitable drive member and the steering of the boat is accomplished by means of a rudder and a rudder control, the rudder control being of a type which locks in position so that the boat may be set' on course and continue until changed. 1

It is an object of the invention toprovide an improved pedal drive for a boat. I '1 It is a further object of the invention to provide a-boat drive which may be readily installed ina boat. p g

It is a further object of the invention to provide a boat drive which can be folded into asmall space for transportation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a boat drive having an adjustable steering gear therein.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a boat drive in which the tension of the drive member can be adjusted.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will be readily observed in the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of the boat bike;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the boat bike;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the boat bike;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the boat bike;

Figure 5 is a view with parts broken away and in section showing the boat bike in folded position;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 6-6 of Figure 1 and showing the belt orientation rolls; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional elevation showing the hinge and control mounting.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention a boat indicated generally at 10 has side Walls 12 and 14, a stern sheet 16 and a stern seat 18 together with a bottom or floor 20. The boat bike comprises a frame 22 constructed of front and back angle members 24 and 26 and side angle members 28 and 30. The angle members being rigidly joined together to form a substantially rectangular seat-supporting frame. Back members 32, 34, 36 and 38 are rigidly attached to the side members 28 and 30, respectively, and extend downwardly and rest on the seat 18. A depending mounting bracket depends from the rear portion of the frame 22 and comprises end depending angles 40 and 42 to which is connected a cross s a shoe 2,703,065 Patented Mar. 1,1955

2 angle member 44.' Cross angle member 44 is stiffened by means of intermediate braces in the form of angle members 46 and 48, the whole forming a rigid depending member rigidly connected to the frame 22.

A hinge member 50 is rigidly secured on the cross member 44 and a tubular support .52 is rigidly connected on the hinge 50. The hinge pin 54 being intermediate the portion joined to the cross member 44 and the mem-' ber joined to the tubular support 52. A shaft housing 56 is journaled in the support 52 and has rigidly connected thereto a steering lever 58. The turned end of lever 58 is not connected to the support 52 but has slid-- ing bearing thereon. A rudder 60 is firmly engaged on the lower end of the housing 56. The rudder 60 has a cut-away central portion 62 and a substantially tubular bearing sleeve 64. A stub propeller shaft 66 is mounted in the sleeve 64 and has a propeller 68 mounted thereon.

The end of the stub shaft 66 extending into the opening 62 is provided with a bevel gear 70 which is in mesh with the bevel gear 72 on a drive shaft 74 which extends upwardly through the bearing housing 56 which is provided with an Alamite fitting 76 for maintaining the housing 56 full of grease so that the shaft 74 will run freely therein. A drive sheave 78 is mounted in non-rotative relation on the top end of the shaft 74.

A steering shaft 80 is journaled on the side of the frame 22 and has at the forward end thereof a steering lever 82 having a hand grip 84. A crescent 86 preferably co-' axial with the steering rod 80 is provided with locking depressions 88 to receive the lever 82 in locking engagement. The rear end of the steering rod 80 is provided with a threaded end 90 on which is rigidly connected an arm 92. The arm 92 being connected to the steering lever 58 by means of a link 94.

The front frame member 28 is provided with angular ears and 102 between which is hinged an extension member 104. The extension member 104 being free to rotate about the connection with the ears 100 and 102 so that the member 104 may underlie the frame 22. The free end of the extension member 104 is provided with 106 which provides an enlarged firm contact between the lower end of the member 104 and the bottom 20 of the boat. A bearing supporting arm 108 is hingedly connected to the lower end of the extension member 104 andhas a bearing member 110 mounted at the end thereof. A' crankshaft 112 is journaled in the bearing 110 and has pedals 114 and 116 at the ends thereof. A sheave 1204 is nonrrotatably mounted on the crankshaft 112 and a'flexible drive member such as a belt 122 is entrained over the sheave and the sheave 78. An adjustable tensioning bar 124'is connected between the extension member 104 and the bearing support 108 and is adjustably connected with openings 126 in the extension member 104 and openings 128 in the bearing support 108 so that the member 124 may be selectively connected with either of the openings 126 and 128 to maintain the drive member 122 under tension.

The sheaves 78 and 120 are transverse to each other in order to maintain the drive member 122 in proper relation to each of the sheaves. An orientation device comprising a pair of ears 130 and 132 is connected to the front frame member 24 and has journaled therein a pair of orientation rolls 134 and 136.

To operate the boat bike the frame 22 is provided on the seat 18 and may be located thereon by means of reach members and 142, the reach member 140 being connected to the legs 36 and 38 and the reach member 142 being connected to the legs 32 and 34. Preferably the reach members 140 and 142 extend backwards from the legs 36 and 32 to firmly engage the stern sheet 16. The housing 56 is swung about the hinge pin 54 until the housing is substantially vertical when the shaft 80 is connected to the lever 58 by means of the link 94 and the arm 92. The rudder 60 being set in any preselected direction by means of the lever 82 engaging the detents 88 of the crescent 86. The shoe 106 of the extension member 105 is placed on the bottom of the boat and the belt or other drive means 122 entrained over the sheaves 78 and 120 and tensioned by means of the reach tensioning member 124 so that the tension maintains the housing 56 in vertical relation and the hinge 50 in extended position about the hinge pin 54. The boat may then be propelled by operating the crankshaft 112 by means of the pedals 114 and 116 and the hands of the operator will be free to perform any operation such as fishing, hunting or any other pursuit that he may be following. The course of the boat may be readily changed at any time by merely shiftingthe lever 32 to another notch 88 whereupon the boat will be locked on course and will follow without any further attention.

When it is desired to transport the boat bike it is simply lifted up off the seat 18 and the adjusting reach member 124 is disconnected so that the extension meniber 104 may fold under the seat and the support memher 108 may fold against the extension member 104. The link member 94 is disengaged and since folding the extension member 104 has loosened the belt 122 the housing 56 may fold about the hinge pin 54 to also underlie the frame 22 to form a compact bundle which may be easily carried by the sportsman or other operator using the device. It will be apparent that the present invention provides a boat propulsion system which can be substantially operated by the feet of the operator leaving the operators hands substantially free for any purpose for which he may be utilizing them.

For purposes of exemplification a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown, and described according to the best present understanding thereof. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the true spirit of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A boat bike comprising a frame adapted to be placed in a boat, a hinge member rigidly secured on said frame, a tubular support rigidly connected on said hinge member, a shaft housing journaled in said tubular support, a steering lever rigidly connected to said shaft housing, a drive shaft extending through said shaft housing, a sheave fixed on said drive shaft, a propeller journaled on said shaft housing, said drive shaft being operatively connected in driving relation to said propeller, an extension member hingedly connected to said frame, a bearing support hingedly connected on said extension member in spaced relation to said frame, a bearing mounted on said support in spaced relation to said extension member, a crankshaft journaled in said bearing, a sheave fixed on said crankshaft, 21 flexible drive member entrained over said sheaves, an adjustable tensioning member mounted between said extension member and said bearing support operative to maintain said drive member under tension.

2. A boat bike comprising a frame adapted to be placed in a boat, a hinge member rigidly secured on said frame, a tubular support rigidly connected on said hinge member, a shaft housing journaled in said tubular support, a steering lever rigidly connected to said shaft housing, a drive shaft extending through said shaft housing, a

- sheave fixed onsaiddrive shaft, a propeller journaled on said shaft housing, said drive shaft being operatively connected in driving relation to said propeller, an extension member hingedly connected to said frame, a bearing support hingedly connected on said extension member in spaced relation to said frame, a bearing mounted on said support in spaced relation to said extension member, a crankshaft journaled in said bearing, a sheave fixed on said crankshaft, a flexible drive member entrained over said sheaves, an adjustable tensioning member mounted between said extension member and said bearing support operative to maintain said drive member under tension, said sheaves being transverse to each other, a pair of orienting rolls mounted on said frame, said drive member passing through said orienting rolls.

3. A boat bike comprising a frame adapted to be placed in a boat, a hinge member rigidly secured on said frame, a tubular support rigidly connected on said hinge member, a shaft housing journaled in said tubular support, a steering lever rigidly connected to said shaft housing, a drive shaft extending. through said shaft housing, a sheave fixed on said drive shaft, a rudder blade fixed on said shaft housing, a steering rod journaled on said frame, an operating lever fixed on said steering rod, a linkage operatively connecting said steering rod to the steering lever fixed on the shaft housing, a propeller journaled on said rudder blade, said drive shaft being operatively connected in driving relation to said propeller, an extension member hingedly connected to said frame, a bearing support hingedly connected on said extension member in spaced relation to said frame, a bearing mounted on said support in spaced relation to said extension member, a crankshaft journaled in said bearing, a sheave fixed on said crankshaft, a flexible drive member entrained over said sheaves, an adjustable tensioning member mounted between said extension member and said bearing support operative to maintain said drive member under tension.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 947,643 Lesko Jan. 25, 1910 1,512,902 Boyd Oct. 28, 1924 1,695,304 Turner Dec. 18, 1928 1,704,443 Paschen Mar. 5, 1929 1,825,240 Miller Sept. 29, 1931 1,826,507 Crosby Oct. 6, 1931 2,158,349 Allen May 16, 1939 2,383,440 Baxter Aug. 28, 1945 2,543,553 McAllister Feb. 27, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 141,928 Great Britain Apr. 29, 1920 

